The McCoy clan led by John "Devil" "Padre" McCoy came to Texas in 1832 looking for a better life. He had fathered 10 children. (Source: Probate Court Gonzales County, John McCoy's probate: Question: Mention the names of all your father's children. Ans: Margaret, Joseph, James, John, Thomas, Timothy, Samuel, Jesse, Daniel, Louisa -- I will be posting the complete document later)

Before going to Texas, the McCoy and Zumwalt men had served together in Daniel Boone's Mounted Rangers. They served under his son, Captain Nathan Boone, in Lincoln County, Missouri where in April 1814 James McCoy was killed by Indians one and one-half miles north of Riggs Ford. (Gonzales Co. History pg 408) Missouri Pioneers Volume 16 shows the Muster Roll of Capt. Nathan Boone's Rangers 1812 included: John McCoy, James McCoy, Joseph McCoy.

The Texas Revolution was hard on the family and two died (Jesse in the Alamo, Joseph Hill during the Runaway Scrape). However, the family survived and settled the land for which they had fought so hard. I have a page with excerpts from the internet concerning the McCoys. Although it is not my own research, it is interesting.

Jesse M. McCoy was a trail driver and farmer. He was named after his uncle who died in the Alamo. He did not have a middle name, just added the M. He married his first wife, Jane E. Shelton "Jennie" Bivens, in 1867. She died of tuberculosis in 1876 one month after giving birth to her 5^th child. This baby, Jesse Green, died just 7 months after his mother. 
 

Jesse met his second wife, Lyla Lucretia Conklin, 2 years later in St Louis, Missouri while on a trail drive and brought her back to Texas. She was just 20 years old and he 37. They reared his 4 children and had 8 more children together.

Jesse worked his farm in Gonzales up until his death in 1920 at the age of 79.

This is the house located outside of Gonzales where Jesse & Lila raised their family.

Rita was one of their children.